Centrifugal blower.



PATENTS!) mm 9" mos,

7 x. T. AUSTIN.

GENTRIFUGAL BLOWER, AYPLIOATIOH FILED NOV. 30, 1906- 2 SHEETS-BEBE? J.

Inventor Wit-new es:

Z r W M f 51%. 890,117 PATENTED mm 9, ms,

GENTRIFUGAL BLOWER; APPLICATION FILED HOVZVSO, 1906.

J. T. AUSTIN Inoemib? Jbh% T.

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UNITED erm ne .mmmmmaa momma JOHN T. AUSTIN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO AUSTIN ORGAN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A OORPORATION'OF MAINE.

GEN'IRIFUGAL BLOWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented runes, 1 908;

Blowers, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to centrifugal blowers, and consists of an improved construction:

whereby the efliciency of the blower is increased, while the noise usually made by this type of blower is greatly diminished.

The invention is here shown applied to a blower for use in connection with pi e organs, as it is in this connection that t e invention finds one of its most useful applica- -at the inner ends of the blades and is tions.

Figure 1 is a side view of a single blower embodying tlns invention. Flg. 2 is an end view partly in section on'the line '2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is an end iew of the intake. Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing the development of a part of the intakeas seen from the top, Fig. 4 showing the shutters in a )artly open condition, and Fig. 5 showing them closed. Fig. 6 is a side view of a multi le blower embodying this invention, and ig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6 shown partly in section on the line 7 of Fig. 6.

The blower is. secured upon a basell and has a casing 12 which surrounds the outer rim 13 of the blower wheel and is located eccentrically thereto in the usual manner. The blower wheel consists of two circular plates 14 and 15 forming side walls which are joined at their outer edges by the rim 13. Blades 18 of the usual form and preferably unequally spaced are located between the side lates 14 and 15, a space 23 being prefera'b y left between the outer end of each blade and the rim 13. The outer rinr13 is pierced with holes 1.) to )Ql'llllt the exit of the air from the interior oi'the wheel into the casing whence it is discharged through the opening 20 (F ig. 1). The wheel is mounted for rotation upon the shaft 2] by means of a flanged hub 22 secured to the shaft and to the wall 15. Motion may be imparted to the shaft 21 in any suitable manner. An inner rim 25 extends between the plates 14 and 15 r0 vided with perforations 26, through w rich .0 on more 01 T688,

given it by, the blades 18. This the air passes from the intake passage 27 to reach the interior of the wheel.

The intake assa e 27 is of circular form and is inclose by t e casin 28. The outer end of the passage is provi ed with a number of sector-shaped deflector Wings 31, each of which is secured along one edge to a radially disposed shaft 32. The inner end of each shaft 32 is iournaled in the hub 33 while the outer ent extends through the easing 28 and has a crank 34, on its outer end by which the shaft may be turned to open or mew; w

close the wing. Each crank 34. has a spring 37 connected with its outer end, which tends to keep the win in its closed position, at which time the free edge 38' of each wing preferably rests against the shaft of the wing next it as shown in Fig. 5. In the construction shown, the hub 33 is suspended in place by the four spokes 39, which are secured at their inner ends to the hub and at their outer ends to the intake casing 38. The swin ing ends of the wings oint in the general direction of'rotation o the blades 18, so as to deflect the entering air in that direction when the wings are 0 ened.

When the wheel is at rest or w ion the disis do ivering no air, theaction of the springs 37 will keep the wings 31 closed. As soon,

however, as the motion of the wheel and the openingof the discharge passage 20 creates a suction in the intake passage 27, the pressure,

of the enterim airwill force the wings 31 0' air being dischargedthrough the passage 20. As the air enters the intake passage 27 it strikes the wings 31 and is by themdefiected sidewise and given a whirling motion around the axis of the wheel, in the direction of rotation of the wheel, so that'it enters the wheel with a motion .which ap roximates more or less the motion which is so seqluently w iirling according to the amount a motion given to. thefente'ring air by the,

blades 31 greatly diminishes the noise inadeb the blower, slnceit is the beatingof the bliides'of the wheel against the entering air which appears to be the cause of the noise made by blowers of ordinary construction when running at a high rate ofspeed. 1 The smaller the quantity of air which is being discharged from the passagelZO, the less the wings 31 will'stand 0 en, and the more therefore will the air be cllccted sidewise, in entering. 'lhercl'ore the smaller the quantity of air delivered the less noise made by the blower. This is important in the case of church organs, since it is when the or an is playing softly that the blower should be nearest noiseless, a result whichis secured by this arrangement, because the smaller quan tity of air required for playing the organv softly is deflected by the nearly closed position of the wings into a close a proximation of the rotary movement of tie blades 18. The unequal spacing of the blades 18 as shown in Fig. 1, is thought also to assist in redueing the noise. Each blade cxpels an amount of air dill'erent from that expelled by the I blades on either side of it and the regularity of the impulses is thus broken up and their rhythmical charm-tel destroyed.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown a multiple blower constructed to deliver air at any one of three diil'ercnt pressures. The blower contains three wheels 51., 52 and 53, of large, medium, and small diameter respectively, joincd toether to form an integral structure secured. by means of the hub 54 to the shaft 55. The three wheelsare made up of the side plates 57. 58, 5t) and 6t), and the. outer rims 63,64 and 65. the plates 58 and 50 forming walls common to adjoining wheels. The rims (i3, (i4. and 65 are provided with perforations 66 and the wheels are provided with blades 68, 69 audit), which are preferably spaced unequally as shown, and located so as to leave a space 71 between each blade and its corresponding outer rim. The wheels are surrounded by a casing which is formed-so as to inclosc the periphery of each rim 63, 64 and 65, by separate chambers 74, 75 and 76, having no communication with each other, and provided with discharge passages 79, S0 and 8], (Fig. 6) having valves 82, S3 and tit-by opened. and closed. single intake passage '87 is provided for the three wheels and this passage is provided with shutters fs'tlot'similar construction to those described in connection with the single blower shown in Figs. 1--5. I a

As the pressure under which air is discharged from a blower depends, other things being equal, upon the velocity of the whccl, it is obvious thatat a given velocity the air discharged through the perforated rim 63 will be delivered at a greater pressuret-han that discharged through therim 64. In the same way, the 'air discharged through the rim 64 will be delivered at a higher pressure than that discharged throu h the rim 65. ll therefore the valves 83 and are closed air at a high pressure will be delivered through thedischarge passage 79. If the valves 82 and 84 are closed, air at a medium pressure will be discharged through thepassago 80,

.which the passages may be indcpmidently and similarly it the valves 82'and 831are closed air at acomparativelylow pressure will be delivered through the passage 8f.

the Valves of tie tiree iischarge openings.

uniform velocit b properly manipulating At such times the air in those wheels of which. i

the discharge openings are closed, simply" whirls round and roundwithln the wheel,

without passing out of the rim, after the air I in the surroundin certain ressure, depending on thevelocity of the W ieel. The air that enters'the'intake.

passage 87 therefore will pass only to the interior of that wheel having the "open discharge passage. If the discharge passages uglier spced wheels than tor the smaller and slower speed ones, since-,Itor a given area of rim surface, the larger the diameterof the Obv rim, the smaller may be its width. ously, the number of wheels may be more or less than three, accordlng to the number-of chamber has attained. a1" I pressures and quantities "ofair may; be ob to assist in reducing the noise of the blower,

it is not a necessity and hence is not shown The perforations in both the outer and inner rims are )referably made irregular both as to size and location. the. ini- I in Figs. 6 and 7.

portan-t point being that the combined areaflof perforations shalt be greatenoughto permit thc'passagc of the maximum amount o'lair which the blower is intended-to discharge.

in order that the blades-18 of thc rotating mclnberiouty be spaced unequallywithout throwing the fan menbcr out of balance,- it is preferable to employ au evennumber of 'lt isthen only necessalw to dispose the blades iupairs, the two members of each. pair being liametrically-opposite,to each) blades.

othcr..' it is then i .i'u a-te'rial how.regularly'dc or otherwise the dilicrent pairs of blades are spaced from each other aronndthefan mem bcr, so-far as balance isconcerned.

The deflecting wingsBi operate toprevent the return tlow of air from the reservoiror wind chest, through the blower, mcase the action of the latter should be lessenedv or stopped altogether, inwhichcase the wings would automatically move to their closed position, thus holding the pressure, or at east preventing its immediate escape.

The spaces liiiai'ld 71 between tie outer ends of the blades and thc suljacent pc rllo 95 pressures desired, and by properly grading the sizes olt these wheels, any predetermined rated annular rims allow the air to flow past the ends of the blades from one wheel chamber to another, lo a sullicicnt extent to approximately cquaiizc the pressure in those cluimbcrs. thus les ening the tendency to irregular pull'y action, and thereby to that extent reducing one of the Factors tending to produce a noise.

I claim as my invention:

1. A blower, having in cornbinatimi a casing, and a rotary tan member within the oasing provided with blades disposed in an annular space in the casing and an annular wall perlorat-ed t'or admitting the air to the blades.

tion a casing. and a fan member mounted for rotation in the casing, including an annular blade chamber provided with walls for excluding the air at the lateral sides of the blade chamber. and having a perforated wall for admitting the flow of air to the chamber outwardly from the center of rotation.

.5. In a centrifugal blower, the combination of a casing, a pair 'of side plates revolving within the casing, blades secured be tween and joining the side plates and a perl'orated inner rim revolving with the side plates and provided with perforations for admitting the air to the blades.

4. In a centrifugal blower, the combina tion of a casing. a pair of side plates, a perl'orated rim joining the outer edges of the side plates, and blades carried by the plates and extending outwardly towards the said rim. but having a space between the outer ends of the blades and the perforated rim.

5. ln a-ccntritugal blower, the combination of a casing. a pair of side plates rotating within the casing, blades secured between and rotating with the side plates, the said blades being spaced unequally around the axis of rotation.

n, A blower having in combination a variable air inlet. and means controlled by the variations in the llow of air through the inlet for correspondingly varying the size of the inlet.

'7. A blower having in combination a variable air inlet, and means for vii-*ldingly closing the inlet against the pressure-of the entering air.

3. A blower having in combination with its air inlet means yieldingly closing the inlet, for admitting inward llow of air to the blower and preventing backward flow of air from the blower.

t). A blower having in combination a variable air inlet including a plurality of wings mounted to open and close thcinlet, and resilicnt means for yicldingly pressing the wings toward their closed position, to admit air to the blower, and to prevent a lmckwardllow of air from the blower.

10. A rotary blower having in combina- A centrifugal blower having in combina-' tion an air inlet, and means controlled by the variatitms in the How of air through the inlet, l'orautomatimtlly varying and deflecting the entering air in the direction of rotation ol the blower. I]. A rotary blower having in combination an air inlet, and means controlled by the variations in the tlow of air through the inlet for deflecting the entering air in the direction of rotation of the blower, to varying extents,

in inverse ratio to the volume of flow.

12. A rotary blower having in combination an air inlet and a movable wing located insai-d inlet at an angle to the direction of movementof the entering air for deflecting the air in the. direction of rotation of the blower.

13. In a rotary blower, the combination of entering airto deflect the air in the direction of rotation o'lthc blower in inverse relation to that pressure. l

15. In a rotary blower the combination of an intake passage for the air, a plurality of deflecting wings mounted for swinging move ment in said passage at an angle to the entering movement of the air, and resilient means for swinging the wings against the pressure of the air to deflect it in the direction of rotation of the blower. I

I 16. In a centrifugal blower, the combina tion of an intake passage for the air, a set of radially-disposeil wings inthe passage, and resilient means tending to close the wings against the-pressure oi the air entering the passage.

17. In a centrifugal blower, the combination of an intake passage of substantially circular cross section, a set of radially disposed wings in the. passage, radially disposed -pivots for the wings, and resilient means tending to close the wings against the pressure of the entermg air.

18. The combination of a plurality of centrifugal blowers of dillerentd1ameters1i1ounted to rotate side by side, an intake common to all the blowers, and means for indepeindblowers. I

It). The combination of a plurality of centril'ugal blowers ol. diflerent diameters .secured together, an intake common to all the blowers, and means for independently closing the discharge passages of the blowers.

20. The combinationol' a plurality of cenentlv closing the discharge passages of the trifugal blowers of different diameters secured side by side, an intake common to all the blowers, non-communicatin casings surrounding the peripheries of the lowers, and means for independently closing the discharge passages of the casings.

21. The combination of a plurality of centrifugal blowers of difierent diameters, one

side of each blower forming also one side of the blower next it, an intake common to all the blowers, a casing surrounding the blowcharge openin for each compartment, and

means for in ependently closing the die- 16- charge 0 enings.

Signe at Hartford, Connecticut, thisl'ith day of November, 1906.

JOHN T .'AUSTIN. Witnesses CHAS. '1. Conan, V WM. H. Homes. 

